1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods of and means for lining of all types of interior surfaces of furnaces with roll-type insulation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, various methods and means have been used for lining the interior surfaces of furnaces with roll-type insulation. For example, roll-type insulation has been applied to the interior surfaces of furnaces in substantially flat multiple layers and attached thereto by way of metal bolts or studs extending through the multiple layers of the insulation. However, this method is disadvantageous in that the bolts or studs used to fasten the insulation to the furnace are exposed to the high temperature of the furnace and therefore, deteriorate rather rapidly. Additionally, this method is expensive, since more than one layer of insulation is required to provide the desired insulation.
A method which overcomes certain of the problems of the above described method is to attach strips or layers of insulation to metal plates to form substantially square or rectangular blocks and bolting, welding, or otherwise attaching these blocks to the surface to be lined in a side-by-side, abutting manner with the bolt or weld covered by the insulation to thereby overcome the problem of the deterioration of the attachment means due to exposure to the high temperature of the furnace. However, this method is disadvantageous for a number of reasons. For example, the ceramic fiber insulation used to line the interior of furnaces tends to shrink when submitted to temperatures of above 2200.degree. thereby causing cracks to form in the abutting edges of the blocks of insulation which, of course, results in a heat loss therethrough. Also, this method is expensive since, for example, it requires the separate steps of first constructing the blocks from rolls of insulation and then attaching the blocks of insulation to the interior surface of a furnace.
Another method is to attach a single layer of insulation to metal backing or the like in a sinuous manner so as to form a substantially square or rectangular block of insulation and to bolt or otherwise attach a plurality of these blocks of insulation to the surface to be lined in a side-by-side abutting manner, with the bolt or the like covered by the insulation to thereby overcome the problem of deterioration of the attachment means due to exposure to the high temperatures of the furnace. However, this method is also disadvantageous for a number of reasons. For example, as heretofore discussed, such insulation tends to shrink when submitted to temperatures of above 2200.degree., thereby causing cracks to form at certain of the abutting edges of the blocks of insulation which, of course, since, for example, it requires the separate steps of first constructing the insulation blocks from rolls of insulation and then attaching these blocks to the interior surface of a furnace.